Council takes on proposal for larger clubhouse at Jamestown Golf Course

Matt Sheley Daily News staff writer

Wednesday

Feb 28, 2018 at 12:01 AMFeb 28, 2018 at 12:45 AM

JAMESTOWN, R.I. — A decision on the fate of the clubhouse at the Jamestown Golf Course is expected soon.

Golfers and some of the wider Conanicut Island community came together with the Town Council on Monday night in Town Hall to talk about the building, whether it should be replaced and what’s next for the golf club at 245 Conanicus Ave. in the shadow of the Pell Bridge.

Town Council President Kristine Trocki told The Daily News on Tuesday that she is happy there is so much interest in the project and the two options being considered to replace the clubhouse.

One is to build a new one-story clubhouse with a multi-use space, a project that has an estimated cost of about $2.07 million. The second proposal is a two-story structure featuring a first-floor clubhouse and a separate second-floor event space for about $2.93 million.

After taking comments from residents and business people, Town Administrator Andrew Nota said a decision on the direction of the clubhouse could come as soon as the council’s next meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

“Out of the conversation (Monday) night, I think most of the crowd, even if they don’t support the idea of a community space, want a decision to be made,” Trocki said. “This has been going on for a very long time and over the next couple meetings, we’ll have to decide first what we want to do and next whether to go to a financial town meeting in June or to a (townwide) referendum in November to get the money we’re going to need.”

In February 2013, the town closed off any use of the ground-level building after it was deemed structurally deficient. Problems also were found with the roof joists, preventing use of the building in the winter months when a heavy snow load could collapse the roof.

The clubhouse itself remains accessible through the back of the structure, which is situated between the first and ninth holes of the nine-hole course.

Council Vice President Michael White said discussion of the state of the clubhouse has been going on a lot longer than five years. A longtime veteran of the council, White said he’s not made up his mind about which direction the community should take.

Still, White said it is clear the time has come for the community to do something. Any work at the clubhouse probably would be funded by a bond issue if voters approve it.

“At one point, my granddaughter took ballet lessons there, but that section of the building has been closed for a long time,” White said. “The golf course is one of our pride and joys and it’s time we have a clubhouse to reflect what an asset the place is.”

Jamestown resident Derek Blackman agreed that something needed to happen, but on a far smaller scale than what’s being discussed now.

An in-season regular at Jamestown, Blackman plays the course three or four times a week and especially enjoys the downhill par 4 fourth hole and its tiered green.

“When they talk about this multi-use space, there’s no room in the parking lot, which has only about 100 spaces, when the golf course is in full swing,” Blackman said. “I think that’s something that really needs to be considered more. If I was making the decision, all they need is a low-cost rehab of the building and if that’s not possible, a small caddy shack and let the golf course get about its business.”

Instead, Blackman said he’d like to see the community invest money into the golf course itself.

“There are some issues out there that need to be addressed,” Blackman said. “If we did a $500,000 to $750,000 rehab to the existing building and put the rest of the money back into the course, I think that’s what most golfers would want. The thinking among a lot of people is the town is trying to put up this palatial building and cut a ribbon when the golfers need much, much less.”

Joseph Mistowski, the longtime operator of the golf course with his family, said he was happy to hear the community is considering reinvesting in the facility, which has a sweeping view of surrounding farmlands. The town bought the golf course in 1986 and the Mistowski family has been managing the place for years.

Mistowski said unlike other clubs, Jamestown caters to all golfers. Credited with being one of the oldest golf courses in the country, it was designed and built in 1895.

Weather permitting, the course is scheduled to reopen around April 1. Mistowski said the $19 rate to play nine holes on weekdays and $20 on weekends is expected to stay the same this year.

“We hear how everyone loves the course and what we’re doing, but the (Pell) bridge construction last year really hurt us,” Mistowski said. “Our numbers were down last year around 20 percent. We also heard time and again that no one wants to wait in a line of traffic for an hour and then play golf.”

Mistowski said — like Blackman — he’d rather see the community put money back into the course itself, which he said is in need of “major capital improvements.”

“There’s no doubt the building needs work and we could use more space,” Mistowski said. “I get exactly why what’s happening is happening. Not everyone in Jamestown plays golf and the council is in a pickle because it’s hard to sell any project that doesn’t necessarily benefit everyone, so there’s talk about the multi-use room. Everyone wants to make it the best course it can be.”

According to a computer slideshow presentation on Monday to the council from Burgin Lambert Architects, the Newport-based firm indicated the single-story new clubhouse would be about 3,600 square feet. That includes about 1,100 square feet of multi-purpose space.

As for the two-story clubhouse, it would be about 5,700 square feet. On the second floor, the building would feature a 1,200-square-foot multi-purpose room as well as a 436-square-foot seminar porch, 256-square-foot meeting room and a 225-square-foot catering kitchen.

While no decisions have been made, White said the town would go out of its way not to schedule events for the multipurpose space while the golf season is busy.

“Our decision today is what kind of building we want,” White said. “Most of the estimates we’ve seen to repair the building and get it where it needs to be have been almost as much as building new.”

“The course has always been an asset from Day 1,” Trocki said. “When the town went out and purchased the course in 1986 and saved it from development, it was done at a time when most other places weren’t really talking or thinking about preserving open spaces. It’s a treasured piece of the community and really a crown jewel for Jamestown that people come from all over to enjoy.”

But Blackman warned local officials not to take on too much.

“I know (the) Jamestown (Golf Course) is different and that’s part of the beauty of the place,” Blackman said. “If you look around, golf courses aren’t growing, they’re failing and closing. Hopefully they don’t build a big white elephant up there that drives the golf course right out of business.”

Sheley@NewportRI.com

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